Cathode-ray tube support



Oct. 14, 1947. E. B. CAIN 2423,928

' CATHODEI RAY .TUBE SUPPORT I Filed Jan. 51; 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmnuli' ATI'OR/VEY Patented Oct. 14, 1947 i CATHODE-RAY TUBE SUPPORT Elmer Brinton Cain, Collingswood, N. J assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application January 31, 1945, Serial No. 575,497

The present invention relates to supporting means for a cathode ray tube and more particu-- larly to a novel arrangement for adjustably positioning a cathode ray tube in a television cabinet or the like.

In electrical apparatus, such as cathode ray oscillographs and television receivers, it is desirable to so support or mount a cathode ray tube that it may be readily installed in a cabinet in proper position with respect to a viewing aperture. Also, it is desirable to provide a support which not only holds the tube but permits adjustment of the position of the supported tube.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustable supporting structure for cathode ray tubes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel combination mounting and shield for the deflecting system of a cathode ray tube.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel means for carrying the deflecting yoke structure of a cathode ray tube.

Other and more specific objects of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification and claims in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating one preferred form of the invention in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of the improved mounting means of the present invention, the section being taken on line I-l of Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 is a section of the mounting means of Fig. 1, the section being taken on line 22 as viewed in the direction of the arrows, certain of the parts being omitted for the sake of clearness of illustration;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view in plan, the section being taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 as viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of the cabinet fragmentarily shown in Fig. 1; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are elevational views of a detail of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

Referring to the drawings, and for the present more particularly to Figs. 1 and 4 thereof, a housing cabinet ll] for electrical apparatus, for example a television receiver adapted to incorporate a cathode ray tube, is shown. A cathode ray tube, shown only in outline form for the sake of convenience of illustration since it is a replaceable element and may vary in shape and/ or size, is indicated by reference character l2 and comprises a substantially flat target or screen end l4 provided with the usual luminescent screen or other viewing means, a flare or bulb portion l6, a neck 8 Claims. (Cl. 250-141) of the drawings.

portion H, and a base l8 from which projects the terminal connectors or pins 22. When a cathode ray tube is supported in accordance with the invention disclosed herein, the tube socket (not shown) which engages the pins 22 may be. attached to the ends of a flexible cable suitably connected to the circuits of the apparatus housed in the cabinet Ill.

The cabinet Hi presents a panel 24 having an opening 25 which for the usual type of cathode ray tube will be circular. However, it will be understood that the opening 26 will have a configuration to suit the tube 12 employed. The panel 24 may be a unitary part of the cabinet in if desired. A removable panel or cover 28 having a viewing opening 3| is secured against the panel 24 by suitable fastening means such as screws 32. These screws may be located anywhere so as to hold the cover 28 in position, but for the sake of symmetry of appearance four of these screws are shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The opening 3| may be fitted with a pane of safety glass or a transparent plastic depending upon the type of tube used.

The bulb portion E6 of the tube I2 is positioned in the opening 26 and behind the opening 3| by adjustable brackets 33 which are shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. For the usual circular cathode ray tube supported before a view-- ing opening such as 3| in the cover 28, the brackets 33 are preferably arranged radially as shown.

inFig. 4 of the drawings.

and is provided with a slot 31 for adjustably re-- ceiving a fastening means such as a bolt or screw' 39 (Figs. 1 and 4). The channel shape of the bracket prevents the securing nut 38 (Fig. 1) from. rotating so that the bracket may be adjusted from the front of the panel 24 by applying a tool, such as a screwdriver, to the screw 39. The bent tongue 42 of the bracket is or may be shaped to conform somewhat to the shape of the bulb l6 of the tube 12. This is indicated by way of example in Fig. 5 Recesses 34 provide clearance between the tongues 42 and the tube. A tang 43 is bent down from the body of the bracket 33 so that it assists in retaining the bracket in position against the panel 24 when the associated screw 39 is tightened-in the nut 38 into which it is threaded.

In the receiver illustrated, the cathode ray beam of the tube I2 is deflected by means of a deflecting coil unit or yoke indicated by reference character 44. This yoke may be of any in the Torsch case referred to above; The cross bar member is provided with a longitudinal slot 54 which may be of any lent-h desired, depending upon the desired range of adjustment;

A bracket member 56, which serves as a support as well as a shield for the yoke 44' and the.

neck portion H of the tube 12, is secured in any suitable manner, such as by screws, indicated at 58 to a support such as top plate 60 appearing fragmentarilyin Figs. 1 and 2 of" the chassis (IIIOt ShOWD) of the-apparatus in which the-tube la is-employed. The flang 61 is preferablyslotted as indicated at as to provide for longitudinal adjustment, bodily; of the bracket member SSLf-or a reason which willappear later' herein. A separate apron or brace 5'9 (best shown in Fig. 2) extends beneath the bulb it of the tube I25 The bracket 56 is provided with ayielding g-uar-dmember S2 of rubber or the like which engages the glass part of the tube. A similarguardtfi isplaced over the exposed rim of the brace: 59;

The cross bardilhas down-turned sides 6.8 so that it is channel shapedto accommodate a nut 68: This nut; for convenience, may be channel shaped as shown and is provided with an internallythreaded aperture H. The'downwardly turned sides 65 of the bar 55' prevent the nut 68; from rotating. A transverse slot 12 is providedin the bracket 56, and. slots 54f and 72 combine'to give two ranges of adjustment to the yoke and'hence'the tube I2. A wing screw it is threaded into the, aperture H in the nut 63} to complete the assembly. Rotation of theyoke as in thebracket member 55, which-is projvidedjfor by the slot '2,. affords a, convenient means for levelingithe imageat the end. Id of the.

tube. l2, after the tube is placed. in the manner. hereinafter. pointed out, andis especially useful where the face i l. of the-tube-has-a mask painted. or otherwiseaffixed therein orv thereon.

From the foregoing description of the mount-- ing: means of the present invention; it will be seen that: a. complete mounting as well" as. a convenient. viewingarrangement of neat appearance isprovided. for the cathode ray tube I12; In aseinbling; the, parts initially; or for the purpos of replacing the tube; iii,- the yoke 5 is :first'positioned within the bracket 565-bymeansofthe :wing screw i i andythenut, 8; The; cover 28: is removed and the'tube is passedxth'roughthe opening: Bit; so that the neck ii projects through: the tube accommodating c opening intheyoke 'ME The screws wiil be loosened": sozthat the.

brackets 33: are; in: a. nonrin'terfering position (not shown) may be located on the. panel; to facilitate positioning of thetube. Wing: screw 741' is loosenedand' left in that condition until. after pressure has been established? on the bulbr- 4 portion iii of the tube H. by yielding guards E2 and 65.

Pressure on the tube i2 is established by loosening the screws 58 and sliding the bracket 56 forward and retightening screws 58. This sliding movement of the bracket member 53 is permitted by the slots 63. The front face of the tube is held by the lips i2 on brackets 33. In the case of a so-called round faced (dished front) tube pressure may be exerted directly on the panel 28 instead of the lips of brackets 33. A pad or packing 8| of yielding material such as rubber may be provided for cushioning the face [4- of the tube l2 where it is close to or is pressed toward and into contact with the panel 28'.

With the tube in position as just explained, the screw M may then b loosened so that the yoke'fi" may be moved toward the panel 26, possibly touching the bulb" IQ of the tube I 2 with the coils ends 1 9'. The wing screw 14 is then retightened;

It will-be understoodthat the tube supporting means of this invention is also applicable to the support of television camera tubes of various types; and therefore the term target" as used in the claims herein will be understood to refer to a cathode" ray tube element such as a lumin'eseent screenor other viewing device, or a mosaic element or the like of a" camera tube.

Various alterations-may be made in the present invention without d'ep'artingfrom' the spirit and scope thereof, and it is'desired that any and all such alterations be considered within the purview. of the'p'r'esentinvention as: defined by the hereinafter appended claims.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed and-desired to'bje secured by Letters Patent is the following:

1-. Cathode-ray tube apparatus in. which is to be mounted a cathode ray tube comprising an evacuated envelope; a panel having an opening 1: erein, a plurality of brackets located around said opening and being adjustab'ly' mounted in t-h'e panel adjacent theretoso as to holdan end of said tube in a predetermined position in said opening, meansservin'g as'a stop to position the tube longitudinally, and supporting means providing support forthe tube at a point remote from the brackets and being-capable" of exerting pressure on the tube in a direction longitudinally thereof-and'toward thestopmeans.

2.6atn0de ray tube apparatus comprising a housing in which is to be mounted a" cathode ray tube-'h-aving= an evacuated envelope which is provided with a target element at oneend thereof, the: housing having a panel with an opening thereinsuificiently largetdadmit the tube, a plurality of brackets located around said openin'g and being adjustab'lymounted-on the panel adjacent to the--- edge of hold' -the target end of said tube in a predetermined position in-said opening, andsupporting meansproviding'support fbr the-neck of the tube and 'being capable-of eX'er-ting pressure on the tube in a directionlongitudinally thereof and toward the panel."

3' Cathoderay tube apparatus-comprising a housing in which is to be mpunted a cathode ray .'tube of the type comprising an evacuated envelope which. is provided. at. one end with a target, the housing comprising ap'anel with an opening therein'large=eneugh toadr'nit'the tube, a plurality: of'- brackets: located: around. said open.-

ihg-il and being: adjustably." mounted: on the" panel;

the openingso as to adjacent to the edge of the opening so as to hold the target end of said tube in a predetermined position in said opening, a deflecting coil yoke mounted in the housing with an opening therein in line with the opening in the panel whereby the tube may be moved into the cabinet from in front of the panel into position where the neck of said tube passes through the yoke, and supporting means carrying said yoke in a manner to permit said yoke to be movable toward said panel whereby the yoke is seated on the tube neck in a position to provide efficient deflection.

4. Cathode ray tube apparatus comprising a housing in which is to be mounted a cathode ray tube having an evacuated envelope which is enlarged at one end, the housing having a panel with an opening therein sufficiently large to admit the large end of the tube, a plurality of brackets located around said opening and being adjustably mounted on the panel adjacent the edge of the Opening so as to hold the enlarged end of said tube in a predetermined position in said opening, supporting means providing support for the neck of the tube and being capable of exerting pressure on the tube in a direction longitudinally thereof toward the panel, a removable panel having an opening therein of a size to mask all but the portion of the tube which presents an image to be viewed, and means for securing said removable panel in front of the first named panel with the masking openings in position to expose the viewing face of the tube.

5. In cathode ray tube apparatus of the type in which a cathode ray tube is held in a predetermined position at its target end, means to provide additional support for the tube at a location spaced from the target end comprising a deflecting coil yoke having an opening therein to receive the neck of the tube, carrying means for said yoke comprising a support member and a connection between said support member .and said yoke which is adjustable both longitudinally and transversely of the yoke.

6. In cathode ray tube apparatus comprising a deflecting coil yoke, a mounting for said yoke comprising a member secured to the yoke and having a slot therein which extends lon t nally of the yoke a carrying member secured to a fixed part of the cathode ray tube apparatus and having a slot therein transversely of the axis of the yoke, and clamping means passing through both of said slots whereby upon loosening said clamping means said yoke may be moved for adjustment in two directions substantially at right angles to each other.

'l. Cathode ray tube apparatus comprising a housing in which is to be mounted a cathode ray tube of the type comprising an evacuated envelope with a connecting base at one end and a 5 Number target device adjacent the other end, the housing comprising a panel having an opening therein of a diameter greater than the diameter of the tube, a plurality of brackets located around said opening each bracket including a channel portion and a tube positioning tongue, the channel portion having an elongated slot, a screw for each bracket projecting through said elongated slot, a nut for each screw in the channel portion ofeach bracket, said panel having screw receiving apertures adjacent to its tube receiving opening so that the end of said tube is held in said opening in a position determined by the adjustment of said brackets, a deflecting coil yoke mounted in said housing with an opening therein in line with said opening in the panel whereby the tube may be moved into the housing through the panel into position with the tube passing through said yoke, and supporting means carrying said yoke in a manner to permit said yoke to be movable toward said panel whereby said yoke exerts pressure longitudinally of the tube to hold the same in position in the tube positioning tongues of-said brackets with the base end of the tube free.

8. Cathode ray tube apparatus of the type in which the cathode ray tube is held in a predetermined position at its target end, means to provide additional support for the tube at a location spaced from the target end comprising a deflecting coil yoke having an opening therein to receive the tube, carrying means for said yoke comprising a support member having a slot therein transversely of the yoke, a member on said yoke having a slot longitudinally of the yoke, and screw means passing through said slots, said yoke thereby being adjustable in two directions with respect to said support member.

ELMER BRINTON CAIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Packer Nov. 27, 1945 Blain July 11, 1939 Berejkofi Aug. 1, 1944 Bedford Aug. 18, 1942 Flaherty July '7, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Jan. 6, 1937 Great Britain Aug. 25, 1937 Great Britain Apr. 23, 1940 Italy July 3, 1933 Number 

